Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-10-16
A KNIGHT ERRANT.
ON AsHIxorf A TRUE SOLDIER OF
FORTUNE.
His Sword Finds Adventurous Work
Among the Warning States Of
Three Continents.


the departure from Moscow for Abys-
sinia on Wednesday last of ON Ashi-
moff, with large military and clerical
following. The Russians gladly avail
themselves of the oppor, unity of en-
barrassing Italy by giving the Negus
unofficial aid in the shape of leaders
and even men, while at the same time
they are delighted TO DO able to add
indirectly to the difficulties of England
with regard TO Egypt.
ON Ashimoff, hetman of some 10000
semi independent Cossacks, is one of
the most curious figures Of contempt
raneOus Russian history. Resembling
in many cts the Raubritter and
knights-errant of olden times, he APP
pears ont of place aud in the light of an
anachronism in the prOsaical and mat
ter-of-fqst life Of the nineteenth cen
tury.
his first appearance on the scene
was some eight or nine years ago, when
he arrived in this city at the head of a
numerous deputation of wild and semi
barbarous- looking individuals, who
blindly obeyed his every behest. They
had come, he declared, to petition the
Gar for permission to settle in the
Caucasus ON the deserted lands of those
OF the Tcherkess tribes which
had emigrated 10 Asia Minor.
1n answer to the inquiries OF
the Government, he asserted that
he was the Hetman. or chief, of tribe
of independent Cossacks, establishedin
Persia, but protesting the orthodox
Greek religion and regarding the Car
as their supreme chief. Their princi-
pal occupation, according to his ac-
count, was that of escorting the cara
vans proceeding from Trebizonde and
Batoum to Persia and to protect them
against the Kurdish brigands After
some hesitation he admitted that his
tribe was composed not only of re-
fugees from the Caucasus. but also Of
vagabonds, convicts, and evil-doers
of every kind and Of every
nationality. But rs set Off against
this he claimed that most severe and
iron discipline was maintained among
the tribe; that they elected their own
officers and chiefs; that they consider
ed it their bounden duty to fight, mas
sacre, and even pillage all inhdels and
their belongings; that they punish
theft severely, and that they We're de-
voted to the Gar. In fact, Judging by
ON AshimOff7s own account, his
people spent their whole existence on
horseback and gained their livelihood
at the point of the sword.
The Russian Government, after hav-
ing verified all these statements, which
at first they were inclined to disbelieve,
at length gave a reluctant and qualified
consent to the Hetman's petition. 1t
was decided that an experiment should
be made and that 400 of AshimOffs Cos
sacks should be allowed to settle for a
time in the Caucasus on trial. 1T is
hardly necessary to add that before they
Lad been there three months the whole
surrounding country was in an uproar
They vaeed n constant warfare against
the respectable inhabitants, INDUCED in
rapine and pillage, and when the local
authorities attempted to visittheircamp
in order to institute inquiries into their
conduct, they received them with vol
leys of musketry which forced the gen
tlemen in uniform to beat hasty re
treat. While protesting the most blind
devotion to the Gar, they made no
effort 10 conceal their unmitigated con-
tempt for a Government officials, and
in fact for every representative of au-
thority whom they had not themselves
elected. AtleDgth the GoyernOr-Gene-
raj of the Caucasus, Prince Dondurof-
Korsakoh. was obliged t. force them to
recross the frontier and to return to
their former homes in Persia.
Ashimoff, ON hearing OF the mea-
sures adopted against his followers,
lost no time in coming to this city, and
used every effort to induce the Car to
revoke the GOvernor-Genera1s edict.
Finding that deaf ear was turned to
all his entreaties, ho left the capital in
disgust, and, accompanied by his two
favorite lieutenantS, Sastrebb and Coil,
made his way to Constantinople.
While there he was brought into con-
tact with members Of the British EN-
bassy. After good deal Of negotiation
he entered into an agreement with the
military att0che Of Queen Nictoria's
mission, according to the terms of
which he was to return to his people,
organize his warriors, and make raid
into Turkestan for the purpose OF de-
stTuying the Central Asian railway,
now in course of construction by the
Russian Government. 1t was agreed
that he should be paid stipulated
amount for every mile of permanent
way destroyed, aud he experienced but
little difficulty in obtaining from the
somewhat credulOus Britishers a large
sum Of money in the shape OF an adj
vance.
Within few days after receiving the
gold he disappeared with his two com
panions from Constantinople, but In
stealing of returning to his own tribe,
as arranged with the British military
ottache, he turned his footsteps to-
wards Egypt. He was seen at Cairo,
and then he disappeared completely
fIom view, nothing more being heard
of him until he turned up about eigh-
teen months ago in Abyssinia, at the
Court of the Neeus.
According to his own account, after
leaving Cairo he succeeded in
reaching the Mahdi in the Sou
dan, and took part in several OF
the encounters with the British troops.
Although We have only Ashimoff S
own version on which to rely in the
matter, there are many grounds for
believing his assertion to be true. The
British officers, especially those of the
late Sir Herbert Stewards flying
column, have repeatedly insisted that
tho rebel forces which they encoun-
tered during the Soudan campaign were
led and organized by white men,
and many of the English outposts
assert having been able to distinguish
tair.baired warriors among the enemy's
forces. Ashimof claims to have been
present at the fall of Khartoum, and
relates that shortly afterward he quilted
the rebel army and made his way to
Abyssinia. When asked as to how he
could have reconeiled himself to fight
in the ranks of Mohammedans against
Christians he exclaimed "What
Christians? Why, Protestants, Jesuits,
and Mohammedans are all one and the
same thing. They are all infdels and
enemies OF the Gar"
There is much analogy between the